Queensland’s tourism roadmap promises billions in visitor spend, 45 new ecotourism projects, and a post-Olympics boom.
The state’s newly-launched 20-year tourism strategy, Destination 2045, outlines an expansive agenda for growth, with some real implications for local government.
At the centre of the plan is the 45×45 pledge: to deliver 45 new ecotourism projects by 2045.
Signature developments include the long-flagged Thorsborne and Wangetti Trails, a Whitsunday Skyway cable car proposal, and facility upgrades at Springbrook National Park and Lake Eacham.
The full list of projects remains incomplete, and actual delivery will depend on streamlined approvals and private sector interest.
The plan promises to double visitor spend to $84 billion and lift direct tourism jobs to 190,000 over two decades. It positions Queensland as Australia’s “events capital” and spruiks a Connecting Queensland Fund to attract new flight routes, particularly from India and Southeast Asia.
It also flags ambitions for dark sky tourism, light-footprint accommodation, and agritourism expansion – particularly through reduced regulatory burdens.
However, councils may find themselves at the coalface of both opportunity and risk.
Destination 2045 leans heavily on local government to enable projects “on and adjacent to protected areas”, deliver agritourism-friendly planning reforms, and co-fund infrastructure such as event venues, drive tourism assets, and port upgrades.
Collaboration is central, but responsibilities – particularly around approvals, land tenure, and environmental management – are largely put on councils without additional local capacity funding clearly earmarked.
Regulatory reform is a central pillar too.
The plan proposes one-stop-shop approvals for protected area operators and commits to reviewing the Major Events Act 2014 to streamline permitting.
While potentially business-friendly, this raises questions about oversight, community input, and environmental safeguards – especially in ecologically sensitive regions.
The Olympics loom large in the strategy, with Brisbane 2032 positioned as the catalyst for long-term tourism growth. Much of this proposed development remains in the concept stage.
Several regional projects will also rely on further consultation with Traditional Owners, with the plan calling for simplified engagement protocols – another area where councils play a critical mediating role.
The full Destination 2045 paper is accessible here.
